News Today’s Book News Thursday, 27th November

[AgentPete]

Today’s Book News Thursday, 27th November 2025 (London date)

Religious scholars debated antisemitism and free speech, a landmark immigrant writing prize announced its finalists, protests erupted over a Tennessee library directive, and European legislators moved to exempt books from deforestation rules.

Antisemitism Draws Attention at AAR/SBL​

At the American Academy of Religion and Society of Biblical Literature’s joint conferences, multiple sessions addressed antisemitism and urged scholars to counter hateful narratives. Speakers discussed a collaborative volume on Judeophobia and an upcoming guide for Christians, warning that antisemitic voices are no longer fringe and emphasising the need to equip students with tools to resist toxic ideas.

At AAR/SBL, Religion Scholars Address Issues Ancient and Modern​

At the same meeting, scholars convened an emergency session on immigration enforcement in sacred spaces, aligning with the conference’s 'freedom' theme. Panelists explored topics such as Christian nationalism, gender identity, academic freedom, antisemitism and the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, sharing personal experiences and calling for strategies of hope and freedom.

Book Deals: Week of December 1, 2025​

Publishers Weekly’s deal roundup notes that Hogarth will publish Han Kang’s first English‑language nonfiction, Light and Thread, while Putnam acquired Jessica Goodman’s adult debut Wisteria Falls. Other deals include Susan Abulhawa’s Sara, the Girl from Sufsaf, Marc Craste’s graphic novel series Picatopia, Christopher Ruocchio’s epic fantasy The Doomsong Saga, and projects ranging from a library‑set fantasy to a memoir by Grandmaster Flash.

Coalition Protests Tennessee’s Directive to Public Libraries​

More than thirty literary organisations, publishers and right‑to‑read advocates sent a letter to Tennessee’s secretary of state protesting his directive that public libraries review youth materials for ‘age‑appropriateness’ under a recent executive order. They argued that executive orders do not authorise censorship and warned that the mandate has created confusion, operational disruptions and fear, with some libraries closing to comply.

Restless Books’ Immigrant Writing Prize Turns 10​

At an event at Manhattan’s Tenement Museum, the Kellman Prize for Immigrant Literature announced finalists Jaguar, The Conviction of Things Not Seen, The Church of Mastery, and Drownproofing and Other Stories. Publisher Ilán Stavans and donor Steven Kellman highlighted the prize’s role in amplifying immigrant voices; past winners described how the award opened doors, and Stavans praised the humour found in recent immigrant narratives while stressing the prize’s political significance.

Stellar deal as First Ink signs Gem Rayner’s debut duology​

BookBrunch reported that Macmillan’s YA imprint First Ink triumphed in a heated five‑way auction to sign Gem Rayner’s debut fantasy duology. The series, beginning with Star‑Crossed in 2027, is described as pacy and rich, aimed at young‑adult, crossover and adult readers.

Hodder signs Tracy Borman fiction​

BookBrunch also noted that Hodder & Stoughton acquired Tudor historian Tracy Borman’s novel The House of Boleyn, which promises to retell the Boleyn family’s story from a fresh perspective using their home, Hever Castle, as the focal point.

A Moment of Thanks​

Publishers Lunch founder Michael Cader marked the twenty‑fifth anniversary of the Lunch/Marketplace service with a Thanksgiving reflection. He recalled claiming the domain in April 2000 and noted that annual acknowledgments of the site’s founding now merge with expressions of gratitude for readers and supporters.

Huckabee’s AI Copyright Suit Against Bloomberg Moves Forward​

Publishers Lunch reported on a class‑action lawsuit in which former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee and other authors allege that Bloomberg used the Books3 dataset to train its finance‑focused language model without permission. The plaintiffs say using the dataset let Bloomberg develop its model more quickly, and they claim copyright infringement.

Books May Be Excluded from EU Deforestation Regulations​

Another Publishers Lunch report said the European Parliament voted to remove books and other printed materials from forthcoming EU Deforestation Regulations, which would have required publishers and distributors to prove that their products were not produced on deforested land. The change, still subject to approval by European institutions, would avert what the Booksellers Association called an existential threat to Irish booksellers.

Indies press the Flesh: David Szalay’s Booker winner tops the independent bookshops chart​

The Bookseller’s indie chart showed David Szalay’s Booker‑winning novel Flesh climbing to number one, moving ahead of John Cleese’s Fawlty Towers tie‑in. Andrew Miller’s The Land in Winter rose to second, while re‑entries such as Jeff Kinney’s Partypooper and new entries like Callie Hart’s Brimstone and Georgia Summers’ The Bookshop Below demonstrated the chart’s fluidity.

Budget 2025: £5m for books for schools, minimum‑wage rise and reduced business rates for smaller shops​

A paywalled Bookseller report noted that the UK chancellor’s budget included a £5 million fund to provide books to secondary schools, a four‑percent minimum‑wage rise and reduced business rates for smaller shops.

EUDR amended to remove printed products​

Another brief from The Bookseller said the European Parliament amended the EU Deforestation Regulations to exclude printed products from its scope, sparing publishers from compliance burdens.

Penguin Press pays tribute to writer and translator David Bellos following death​

The Bookseller reported that Penguin Press paid tribute to writer, translator and academic David Bellos after his death at the age of 80, praising his contributions to literature and translation.

Edinburgh International Book Festival asks publishers to cover half of accommodation costs​

The Bookseller also noted that the Edinburgh International Book Festival has asked publishers to contribute half of authors’ accommodation costs because of rising expenses and a newly introduced visitor levy.

Gaspereau Press donates archives to Acadia University​

Quill & Quire reported that Gaspereau Press co‑founders Andrew Steeves and Gary Dunfield donated the press’s entire working archives to Acadia University. The collection, spanning 60.87 metres of material, preserves the history of the award‑winning fine‑press publisher as its publishing program moves to a new owner and the printing operation winds down.

Thomas King reveals he has no Indigenous ancestry, withdraws forthcoming book from publication​

Quill & Quire reported that celebrated author Thomas King discovered through genealogical research that he has no Indigenous ancestry despite family beliefs. He plans to return a 2003 award, has withdrawn his forthcoming novel StarBright, and wrote about the shock, prompting commentators to discuss trust and identity in the arts.

New Canada Post stamps feature work of six graphic novelists​

Quill & Quire highlighted Canada Post’s second series of stamps honouring graphic novelists, featuring characters created by Kate Beaton, Jimmy Beaulieu, Guy Delisle, Julie Doucet, Bryan Lee O’Malley and Michael Nicoll Yahgulanaas. Each stamp shows a character reading the book in which they appear, and first‑day covers are available.

Reasons to Be Thankful: 50 Years of Patti Smith’s Horses​

On The Scholarly Kitchen, David Crotty reflected on a difficult year for libraries and academic freedom but found solace in the 50th‑anniversary re‑release of Patti Smith’s album Horses. The expanded edition includes unreleased tracks and demos, and he encouraged readers to draw strength from art while continuing the fight for scholarship.

Free speech fears as campus critics denied emeritus status​

Times Higher Education reported that several UK academics believe universities are withholding emeritus titles to punish dissent, depriving them of email and library access despite years of service. Legal experts said the Higher Education Freedom of Speech Act may require institutions to clarify criteria for awarding emeritus status, and advocates warned that denying such titles could undermine free speech and academic freedom.

Lessons for the would‑be writer: An aborted interview with Andy Miller​

In The Irish Times, Peter Lonsdale recounts an awkward 2017 meeting with Backlisted podcast co‑host Andy Miller, admitting he was unprepared and that Miller graciously guided the conversation. The essay celebrates the podcast’s success at reviving overlooked books, notes a recent live show with Pulitzer‑winning guests, and highlights Miller’s generosity to aspiring writers.

The Great Global Transformation review snippet​

An Irish Times review of economist Branko Milanovic’s The Great Global Transformation suggested that the book is too substantial to serve as a primer and too panoramic to reach definitive conclusions, even as it explores national market liberalism and income inequality.